Machine for making photo prints on printing cylinders



May 19, 1936.

J. .'J. BRELL MACHINE MAKING PHOTO PRINTS ON PRINTING CYLINDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 12, 1955 INVENTOR f r /l n Jz A,

ATTORNEY May 19, 1936. .1. J. BRELL 2,040,827

MACHINE FOR MAKING `PHOTO PRINTS ON PRINTING CYLINDERS Fi'led Feb. l2, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet f BYKJJ/ AT1-ORN EY Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MACHINE FOR MAKING PHOTO PRINTS ON` PRINTDTG CYLINDERS The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for making photographic prints on printing cylinders such as used in the textile printing industry wherein a design is photographically reproduced upon a printing cylinder, the latter then being etched so that the design is generally in intaglio or in relief in the case of other classes of printing, as, for example, printing of some classes of wall paper, oil cloth, etc.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine which will insure exact registration oi'. the ends of the design upon the printing cylinder so that the design will be continuous without any observable line of joining of the design ends.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which will readily receive rollers of different lengths and which is adapted for rollers of various diameters.

A further object of the invention is tQ provide novel means for insuring firm contact between the lm and the metallic cylinder throughout the printing operation without the possibility of slip.

These and other objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, the central portion thereof being broken away for clearer illustration. Y

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the ends of the lm, end clamping means and elastic tensionmeans.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 5 5, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow and turned in perspective.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown the frame section I supported on legs 2. Frame section I is box-like in form with a central division web 3. At `each end of web 3 there is formed a heavy transverse boss 4, each boss being provided with an aperture to receive a shaft 5, ball bearing members 6 being seated in the boss at the ends thereof and surrounding shaft 5. 0n an end of each shaft is clamped a sprocket wheel 1 by means of which the shafts will be rotated.

A frame section identical with that just described is provided at the opposite side of the machine and the drawings show the elements bearing the corresponding numbers.

Intermediate shafts 5 is a spacer and supporting shaft or bar 8 having 'shoulders 9 abutting `webs 3, the ends of the shafts being supported in bearing bosses 9 and receiving nuts I0.

The shafts 5 receive pairs of annular members for the printing cylinder which is to receive the photographic print. Each annular support comprises a wheel-like member II having a,A peripheral flange Ilm and a grooved hub Il. The

groove in the hub of each annular support receives a yoke -I 2 carried by yoke shifting member I3 supported on shaft 8.

Sprocket wheel 1 receives a chain I5 which is led over an additional sprocket wheel I6 on a shaft I1 carrying a sprocket wheel I8 to which will be led power from a. motor or other prime mover. Intermediate its length the sprocket wheel passes over an adjustable tension sprocket I9 on a stud shaft 2l). Stud shaft 20 passes through a vertical slot formed in web 3 and 'at its inner end carries a nut 20m. By loosening the nut, shaft 20 may be moved up and down to adjust the tension on chain I5.

Bolted upon each of the frame sections is a bracket 2l having spaced arms 2 Izc between which is pivoted at 22 an arm 23 carrying at its end a bearing boss 231e apertured to receive a shaft 24 and formed with a seat to receive a ball bearing member 25 surrounding the shaft. Shaft 24 is formed with an annular head secured within a light hollow idler roller 26.

Spaced arms 23 are held in spaced relationship by a spacer bar 21, the reduced threaded ends of. which receive holding nuts 28, each nut abutting one of the arms 23, the reduced ends preferably projecting to provide hand grips.

Each arm 23 is apertured to receive a latch pin 29, the latch pin passing through aligned apertures in the arm 2 Ix of each bracket 2 I., as .shown more particularly .in Fig. 2.

Mounted to throw a beam of light in substantially a horizontal path, is a light hood 30, which at its front is formed with a beam aperture 3l. In practice, beam aperture plates 32 each having a beam slot 32a: of the desired width, -will be inserted in the hood, as shown more particularly in Fig. 5. The width of the-beam slot will determine the length of exposure given to the light sensitive emulsion on the printing roller, (the `latter being indicated at 33).

Shaft 5 is longitudinally grooved to receive a key 40 secured in position by screws 4I, and entering a corresponding keyway, formed in the hubs of the appropriate annular supports on said shaft 5.

In the operation of the device, set screws Il Will be loosened and yokes I2 will be moved to with the length of a metallic cylinder to receive the photographic print. The cylinder will thon be placed in position intermediate the two pairs oi' annular supports, the ends of the cylinders resting against the peripheral iianges Ilz. Set screws I4 will then be tightened to hold the annular supports in such adjusted position. A flexible film bearing an image of thedesired width and of a length the exact circumferential area of the metallic cylinder, will be placed in position. The film will be brought around the metallic cylinder as shown more particularly in Fig. 1 and its ends will be connected through the intermediary of yielding tension means. Each end of the film receives a clamping bar comprising a lower section 34 and an upper section 3l: between which is passed the end of the film, the sections then being connected by means of screws 35. The clamping bar is formed on the4 upper member 34 with threaded apertures to receive buttons 36. The button of one clamping bar is connected to a corresponding button of a second clamping bar by a plurality of heavy rubber bands 31, each band having at its opposite ends a bracket 38 formed with an aperture 39 to be received by any suitable button of the appropriate clamping bar.

During the connection of the ends of the film, latch pins 20 will be withdrawn and arms 23 dropped so as to move idler 26 toward the frame of the machine. When the connection of the film ends has been completed, arms 23 are swung upwardly, thus imparting tension upon the bands and the arms secured in position by restoring the latch pins 29. Ordinarily twenty-five or thirty pounds pull will be given to the film so that the latter will conform exactly with the annular surface of the cylinder It will be noted that at this point the lm is in contact with the printing cylinder over substantially half of the surface area thereof. Now that power is applied and the annular cylinder supporting members I I rotated, the heavy cylinder, usually of copper and weighing up to 450 pounds, will be given a very slow rotation which may be one inch of movement in three minutes. The beam of light projected upon the design area oi the iilm indicated between the points aa will expose the image upon the sensitized surface of the cylinder and when the rear end of the image area comes within the range oi.' the beam of light it will lie exactly in register with the end previously exposed upon the cylinder so that the entire circumference of the cylinder will have the image exposed thereon with a uniformly equal timing of the exposure. This timing will be in accordance With the speed of the emulsion on the cylinder, the density of the film and other conditions met with in usual practice. 'I'hus by adjusting the width of the light aperture, the time of exposure may be adjusted relatively to the speed of the emulsion and other conditions.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:-

1. In a machine for making photo prints on printing cylinders, means for supporting a cylinder, means adapted to impart rotation to the cylinder, clamping members for each end of a flexible nlm, yielding tension means for connecting said clamping members to form with the film an endless belt, a support for said tension means permitting movement of the tension means relatively to said support for simultaneous rotaadjust the annular supports il in accordanceA tion of the cylinder and corresponding movement of the endless belt formed by the film and tension means, and means for throwing a beam of light upon a film held adjacent the cylinder by said tension means.

2. In a machine for making photo prints on cylinders, means for supporting a cylinder, means for imparting rotation to the cylinder, clamping members for each end of a flexible film, yielding tension means for connecting said clamping members, a rotary support over which the tension means may be led for movement relatively to the support and latching means for holding the support in position to actuate said tension means, release of the latching means permitting the support to move to such position as to release the tension means from normal action 3. In a machine for making photo prints on printing cylinders, means for supporting a cylinder, means for imparting rotation to the cylinder, a flexible film carried over the cylinder and having its ends spaced a substantial distance from the cylinder and from each other in a plane transversely of the face plane of the film, clamping members for each end of the film, yielding tension means connecting said clamping members and a roller over which said yieding means are passed so that said yieding means is given a movement relatively to the roller during the rotation of the cylinder.

4. A machine constructed in accordance with claim 3, in combination with latching means for holding the roller in position to activate said tension means, release of the latching means permitting movement of the roller to such posi'- tion that the tension means is released from normal action.

5. In a machine for making photo prints on cylinders, means -for frictionally supporting a cylinder comprising spaced rotary members, means for driving said rotary members to impart rotation to the cylinder, clamping means for each end of a flexible film, yielding tension means for connecting said clamping members and a support for said tension means permitting movement of the tension means relative to the support during the rotation of the cylinder.

6. In a machine for making photo prints on printing cylinders, a frame, spaced rotary memder, and means for relatively adjusting the position of the idler relatively to said rotary members.

7. In a machine for making photo prints on printing cylinders, a frame, two pairs of annular frictional supports, each pair adapted to engage opposite ends of a cylinder placed between the pairs, means for imparting rotation to an annular support whereby a. cylinder resting thereon is given rotation, means for supporting one section of a film structure passing at a second section over the surface of a cylinder held by said annular frictional supports. and means for throwing a beam of light. 8. A machine constructed in accordance with claim 7, inV which each pair of annular iilm supports comprises two supports adjustable toward and from each other to engage cylinders of various lengths.

9. A machine for making photo prints on cylinders in accordance with claim 7, in which the pairs of annular film supports comprise iianged wheel-like members, the supports of each pair being adjustable toward and from each other to bring the flanges into abutment with the ends of a cylinder.

10. A machine constructed in accordance with claim 1, in which the support for the tension means comprises an idler roller, pivoted arms carrying said idler roller, and permitting movement of the latter toward and from the supporting means for the cylinder, and latching means for holding the arms in adjusted position.

11. In a machine for making photo prints on printing cylinders, means for rotatably supporting a cylinder, a flexible lm having thereon an image equivalent in area to the circumferential area of the cylinder, the nlm being carried over and in abutment with an arcuate section of the cylinder, means for imparting tension upon the lm, and means for simultaneously rotating the cylinder and moving the im in synchronism with said. rotation during the exposure of said image area of the film to light.

JULES J. BRELL. 

